ASIX AX88796C SRAM-like Fast Ethernet Linux driver (ax88796c.o)

This is the official ASIX AX88796C SRAM-like Fast Ethernet Linux driver source (module name: ax88796c.o), which is suitable for embedded systems, smart home/office devices, Ethernet hubs, switches, routers and home gateway applications.

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ASIX SPI/Non-PCI Fast Ethernet ICs

• AX88796C SPI/Non-PCI Fast Ethernet Chip

The AX88796C is a low‑power SPI/Non-PCI Fast Ethernet controller designed for embedded and industrial networking. It supports multiple host interfaces, including SPI and localbus/SRAM‑like. The local bus allows 8/16‑bit SRAM‑like or multiplexed connections, enabling direct MCU integration without extra logic. For CPUs with SPI, the AX88796C also offers an optional SPI slave interface to simplify hardware design.

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File Description

• README – This file
• ax88796c_main.c / ax88796c.h – Driver main functions and headers
• ax88796c_plat_dma.c / .h – Platform‑dependent functions and headers
• ax88796c_ioctl.c / .h – Helper functions and headers
• command.h – Driver header file
• ioctl.c / ioctl.h – User program for IEEE test and headers
• Makefile – Driver build file
• ax88796c.log – Debug log file
• COPYING – GNU General Public License

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Platform Driver Registration

Since the AX88796C Linux driver is written in platform device model, developer should declare the resource for it. For more information, please refer to the "Kernel Source/Documentation/driver-model/platform.txt". Following shows example of AX88796C platform driver declaration:

1. Declare resource for AX88796C:

static struct resource ax88796c_resource[] = {
    [0] = {
        .start = S3C2410_CS1,           /* Start of AX88796C base address */
        .end   = S3C2410_CS1 + 0xFFFFF, /* End of AX88796C base address */
        .flags = IORESOURCE_MEM,
    },
    [1] = {
        .start = IRQ_EINT11,            /* Interrupt line number */
        .end   = IRQ_EINT11,
        .flags = IORESOURCE_IRQ,
    }
};

2. Declare the name for binding:

struct platform_device net_device_ax88796c = {
    .name  = "ax88796c",
    .id  = -1,
    .num_resources = ARRAY_SIZE(ax88796c_resource),
    .resource = ax88796c_resource,
};

3. Sample code to insert driver resource into platform devices:

static struct platform_device *smdk2440_devices[] __initdata = {
        &s3c_device_spi0,
        &s3c_device_ohci,
        &s3c_device_lcd,
        &s3c_device_wdt,
        &s3c_device_i2c0,
        &s3c_device_iis,
               .
               .
               .
        &net_device_ax88796c,           /* Insert driver resource here */
};

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Compiling the Driver

Prepare: AX88796C Linux Driver Source. Linux Kernel source code. Cross-Compiler.

Getting Start:

1.Extract the AX88796C source file by executing the following command:
	
	[root@localhost]# tar jxvf driver_package.tar.bz2
	
2.Edit the makefile to specify the path of target platform Linux Kernel source.

		KDIR = /work/linux-2.6.x

3.Edit the makefile to specify the path of cross toolchain.

		CC = /work/xxx-gcc

4.Executing 'make' command to compile AX88796C Driver.
5.If the compilation is well, the ax88796c.o and ioctl will be created under the current directory.

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Compilation Flags

[AX88796C_8BIT_MODE]
setting:
	TRUE  -> AX88796C is running on 8-bit bus
	FALSE -> AX88796C is running on 16-bit bus
default:
	FALSE
[TX_DMA_MODE]
setting:
	TRUE  -> TX DMA mode
	FALSE -> TX PIO mode
default:
	TRUE
[RX_DMA_MODE]
setting:
	TRUE  -> RX DMA mode
	FALSE -> RX PIO mode
default:
	TRUE
[AX88796B_PIN_COMPATIBLE]
setting:
	TRUE  -> Register mapping is shifted by one bit
	FALSE -> No changes for register mapping
default:
	FALSE

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Driver Parameters

[mem]
setting:
	The base address of AX88796C
default:
	0 (retrieved from platform information)

[irq]
setting:
	The interrupt line number of AX88796C
default:
	0 (retrieved from platform information)

[ps_level]
setting:
	0 -> Disable power saving
	1 -> Enable power saving level 1
	2 -> Enable power saving level 2
default:
	0

[msg_enable]
setting:
	NETIF_MSG_DRV		(0x0001)    (Not used)
	NETIF_MSG_PROBE		(0x0002)    (Probe messages)
	NETIF_MSG_LINK		(0x0004)    (Link change messages)
	NETIF_MSG_TIMER		(0x0008)    (Watchdog messages)
	NETIF_MSG_IFDOWN	(0x0010)    (Not used)
	NETIF_MSG_IFUP		(0x0020)    (Initialization messages)
	NETIF_MSG_RX_ERR	(0x0040)    (RX error messages)
	NETIF_MSG_TX_ERR	(0x0080)    (TX error messages)
	NETIF_MSG_TX_QUEUED	(0x0100)    (TX queue messages)
	NETIF_MSG_INTR		(0x0200)    (Interrupt messages)
	NETIF_MSG_TX_DONE	(0x0400)    (Not used)
	NETIF_MSG_RX_STATUS	(0x0800)    (RX indication messages)
	NETIF_MSG_PKTDATA	(0x1000)    (TX/RX packet data)
	NETIF_MSG_HW		(0x2000)    (MAC/PHY register dump messages)
	NETIF_MSG_WOL		(0x4000)    (Wake-On-Lan messages)
default:
	NETIF_MSG_DRV | NETIF_MSG_PROBE | \
	NETIF_MSG_LINK | NETIF_MSG_IFUP | \
	NETIF_MSG_RX_ERR | NETIF_MSG_TX_ERR | \
	NETIF_MSG_TX_QUEUED | NETIF_MSG_WOL